Another question inspired this question. I am a Christian and I know the story of Cain and Abel well. I am?

Question

not looking fo ra recap on the story. What I am looking for is what I am not understanding, why was Cain's offering not as favored as Abel's? I understand everything afterwards, but why was Cain's offering of fruits from the field, when that is what he did, work the ground, not as favorable as Abel's offering of fat from some first born, as he was a shepherd, thats what he handled, the animals in the field. Help me understand this my christian brothers or sisters. Even if your not Christian and have a take on this, please reply.

Answer 1

I believe the reasons, is more focused on Cains way and how he presented his offering as apposed to Abels. Let's take a closer look:

Genesis 4:3-4

3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

I believe the answer lies in the word firstlings. Abel gave God of his very best which was the first of his flock. Where as Cain Gave God fruit of the ground which may not have been as clean or ripe as what Cain could have given God.

I believe Cain just threw somthing together as an offering, never really takeing the time to give the best he had. Where as Abel gave of the very first best he had to the Lord. And this is why I blieve God had respects to Abel's offering more then to Cains.

I hope this helps. GodBless!!!!!!

Answer 2

J&C H got it right. Some of the other answers are way off. When you read it, it does say that Abel offered the fat portions of livestock, which were considered the best part bc the fat is what gives the meat flavor. Cain gave "some of the fruits of the soil." It implies that Cain didn't give the best he had, which is what we're supposed to do when we sacrifice something for God. That's why He favored Abel's offering and not Cain's. Cain didn't give the best he had.

Answer 3

"There's a very amusing Sumerian dialogue that appeared about 1500 years earlier than the Cain and Abel story. It's about a herder and an agriculturalist competing for the favor of the goddess. The goddess chooses to prefer the agriculturalist and his offering. Well, the Jews come into this area, and they're not agriculturalists, they're herders. And they don't have a goddess, they have a god. So they turn the whole thing upside down, and make God favor the herder against the agriculturalist.

The interesting thing is that throughout the Old Testament, it's the younger brother who overturns the older brother in God's favor. It happens time and time again. This is simply a function of the fact that the Jews come in as younger brothers. They come in as barbaric Bedouins from the desert, into highly sophisticated agricultural areas, and they're declaring that although the others are the elders - as Cain was, the founder of cities and all that - they are God's favorite. It's just another form of sanctified chauvinism. You understand the view of exclusive religion, don't you - "You worship God in your way, I'll worship God in his."

I hope this helps to clear this up for you.

Answer 4

Because Abel gave what was best and Cain gave what was left over with an angry heart.

Back in the Old testament a blood sacrifice was required Cain gave the grain from the ground which did not take much of an effort or sacrifice.

My pastors wife puts it well in our live we should not be given the sacrifice of Cain not given God what was right but what is left over, instead give a sacrifice of Abel with a pure loving heart.

Answer 5

Cain was offering what God already made. He made the seeds to reproduce regardless of who tilled the soil. Abel took the first born to show that everything else was less for himself. God was givin the first and the best from one brother and and the other gave what God had. No sacrifice was made by Cain. Cain was jealous and didn't want to please God. God would have excepted an offering like Abel's if Cain would've loved his God enough. But he didn't. Hoped this helps some.

Answer 6

In my understanding, there are two things going here- one is that God required an animal sacrifice- by giving the fruits of his field , Cain was just putting his will above the Lord' will

The second and most important thing- the actual driving force behind Cain's disobedience is the attitude of the heart- all throughout God's word it says that we look at the outer appearance but God looks at the heart. There was something going on in Cain's heart that was not right with God. Even if he had given an animal sacrifice or the fruits or his labor had been acceptable to God, God saw something in his heart that was not good. We are wuick to look at the outer and question God, (what was wrong with that? why was God so harsh? he gave what he had) but in putting this story in context with the rest of God's word , we have to understand and trust that God saw in him something that we cannot see just by looking at what Cain offered. Obedience is better than sacrifice- something in Cain's spirit was already out of line, already not submissive. I tend to believe that Cain was already out of sorts with his brother and he carried that with him to the alter making an effort to offer up his sacrifice a hate for his brother and this is unacceptable to God.

Answer 7

Cain did not obey the Lord's direct and explicit command. You see Cain and Abel knew that in these offerings they were to express faith in the Saviour whom the offerings typified and acknowledge their total dependence on God for pardon. They knew that conforming to the divine plan for their redemption they were giving proof of their obedience to the will of God. They were to show their faith in the blood of Christ by offering the first of the flock in sacrifice. The first fruits were to be presented to God as a thank offering only. We cannot short change God or make up our own rules to glorify God.

Answer 8

It wasn't the "nonblood" sacrifice that made Cain's sacrifice unacceptable.

The law hadn't been given at that time, and even if it had, the law had provisions for non blood sacrifices that were acceptable to Jehovah.

What makes sacrifices acceptable is the heart attitude of the one making the sacrifice.

Based on what happened afterward (Cain killing his brother) Jehovah knew Cain's heart was not toward him.

Jehovah wants obedience not sacrifice.

Answer 9

Thank you. Abel offered the best of his flock. Cain did not bother with his harvest. He just took some things to be harvested. He did not seperate the good from the bad. Sort of like saying, this is good enough.

Answer 10

God was looking at the intent of the offering, not the offering itself. Abel gave because he loved God and worshipped God but Cain only gave an offering because he thought he would get a blessing out of it. God sees our hearts and knows our intent. It was not the offering itself God did not like. It was what was in Cain's heart and so he rejected it.